Boy it’s hot outside! I’m glad my friends and I did our long run yesterday. Today I decided to beat the heat and sweat indoors instead! So, I packed my gym bag and headed to 7 Flags Fitness Center to do a spin class. I ended up having the entire spin room to myself. As a bonus, they left the stereo cabinet open, so I could plug in my iPod without having to use headphones! Sweet!

The training program I used was called “Two Big Hills.” It is split into two sections, and the goal is to complete the whole thing, which would be 1 1/2 hours of spinning . . . most of it out of the saddle (standing). Due to time constraints, I did an hour and 10 minutes, and was drenched in sweat at the end of it all. It was a great workout.

If you have never tried spinning, I would recommend that you do. I was so intimidated watching the classes that I was scared to try it around people. That’s when I stumbled into a goldmine. While searching on the web for spin training, a found a site called http://www.trihardist.com/. The person running the site is Jamie Morton; a triathlete and trainer in the Kansas City area. She has on her site free spinning mp3’s that will take you through the various activities done in a spin class. She talks you through each workout, and has great music to boot. There are mp3’s that focus on intensity, hills, endurance, etc. She also has some mp3’s for sale. They are also awesome and they helped me not only biking up hills, but with hill running as well. I even sent her a thank you letter for helping me in my training, it helped that much. There were several hills that I could never get passed without stopping before I started her workouts. Now I just power through them, and use them as a tool to get stronger.

If you ever wanted to try spinning, but were afraid to go, this is your opportunity to try it. In the beginning of my spin training, I started out with a 45min workout, made it 26min, and was drenched in sweat. I could hardly move. Now, my longest training was 2 hours and 15 mins. That was pushing it, but it was good to know I had progressed that far.

If you work with those mp’3 that Jamie has out there, you’ll be ready for the ‘real’ classes in no time. Remember, each trainer is different and each have different terms that they use. Don’t be afraid to ask them before the class to go over what he/she will call out. It will make it easier for you. Also ask the trainer/instructor to help you properly set up your spin bike. If they are worth anything at all, they will be happy to help you. After all, the idea is to help you get fit, not get hurt.

After the session, I did my stretches (the sound you heard was Stephanie’s jaw hitting the floor), rinsed off, and hit the outdoor pool for more stretching and a cool down. Now it’s time to plan tomorrows’ workout.

Live happy, be healthy!

Travis